Soul Returns to Hong Kong: From Tailor Shop to Richest Woman

Lin Ying took a walk around the R&D building to get a feel for the progress of the fourth batch of equipment to be produced, and then went to the production workshop to take a look.

The workshop was already bustling with activity; workers were moving materials, quality inspectors were checking forms, and equipment operators were adjusting machines. The corridors were packed with people.

When Lin Ying arrived at the factory gate, she saw the gatekeeper, Lao Liang, stopping three young men. One of the men said, "We're here to discuss a collaboration with your boss. We really know him."

Old Liang pushed the registration book forward: "Please show your ID card. Which boss do you need to register? What's their name? Do you have an appointment?"

The man was displeased: "We're all in business, how can we arrange everything in advance?"

Old Liang remained unmoved: "Then write your names clearly first, and we'll talk after the administration confirms them."

Another person said impatiently, "It's just a factory, why are you making such a big fuss at the gate? Do you know who introduced us?"

Old Liang looked up at him: "I don't know, and I don't need to know! You can't come in without an appointment."

Seeing that they really couldn't get in, the three people left, muttering to themselves.

Old Liang saw Lin Ying and called out, "Boss!"

Lin Ying walked over, but before she could ask any questions, she heard He Fangqin leading several security guards surrounding a man wearing a floral shirt outside the factory gate.

A female worker stood behind He Fangqin, her face covered in tears.

"Why won't you let me in? I'm here to see my cousin!" The man in the floral shirt shouted.

He Fangqin stood coldly in front of the female worker: "This is the factory area, not a vegetable market! You can't come in without an access card!"

"My cousin works there, why am I here to see her?"

The female worker behind him cried even harder: "He's not my cousin! I don't know him at all!"

He Fangqin immediately said to the security guard next to her, "Call the police and let them handle this."

The man in the floral shirt tried to run away when he heard that the police were going to be called, but two young security guards immediately grabbed his arms and held him firmly outside the guardhouse.

Lin Ying watched the whole thing from a short distance away. He Fangqin, after calming the female worker down, noticed her: "Boss, what brings you here?"

"I just came from the workshop and was passing by. Are there a lot of people like this lately?"

Old Liang sighed: "There are quite a few. Few actually make an appointment. Most want to sneak in to see the equipment or come to freeload. And some are even more troublesome. They deliberately loiter around the factory gate after get off work; when they see a female worker come out, they go up and strike up a conversation."

He Fangqin continued, "Especially this month, with the end of the year approaching, more and more people are sneaking in from outside. Some thugs are specifically targeting female workers at the factory gate! Boss, you probably don't know, but last month, a female worker from an electronics factory was dragged away after get off work, and they still haven't found her."

Are any female workers in our factory being harassed?

Old Liang immediately reported: "Boss, two female workers have complained that they were followed on their way back to the dormitory; we've been adding night patrols these past few days, but we're still not enough manpower."

Shenzhen is full of construction sites and job postings this year. People are coming quickly, there are many opportunities, but also many troubles. Young women, in particular, face extremely high risks in this environment.

"How many security guards are there in the factory now?" Lin Ying asked.

Old Liang replied, "There are 38 officially, and 18 were temporarily transferred from the workshop! It's okay for the day shift, but we can't keep up with the night shift."

He Fangqin: "The factory now has nearly three thousand employees, and we simply can't keep up with just over fifty security guards."

"Let's go back to the office first." Lin Ying didn't say anything more and turned to walk towards the administration building.

As soon as Lin Ying entered the office, Chen Guodong came over with some documents. Lin Ying briefly explained the situation: "The factory's security is insufficient. We can't wait until something serious happens to fix it! The China Merchants Group should be aware of the pressure of managing migrant workers in Shenzhen."

Chen Guodong immediately understood: "Yes, all sorts of stalls, hotels, and agencies have sprung up around here; it's very chaotic."

Lin Ying sat down and immediately picked up the phone to dial the number of Director Huang of the Shenzhen Bay Investment Promotion Bureau.

The phone was answered: "Hello, who is this?"

"Director Huang, this is Lin Ying from Yingchuang Technology. I'd like to report some security issues around the factory area recently. There are thugs pretending to be relatives of the workers getting into the factory. We female workers are afraid to walk alone after get off work. You probably know about the incident at the factory next door last month where someone was robbed, right?"

Director Huang sighed: "I know, Mr. Lin. To be honest, the number of migrants in Shenzhen has increased dramatically, and the police force is indeed struggling to keep up. The police have increased manpower and patrol points, but there are only so many people. We rely entirely on our two eyes to keep watch, and recruitment will take some time."

"I understand," Lin Ying said. "I'd like to ask if there's any way to speed things up, or to coordinate some high-quality security personnel?"

Director Huang thought for a moment: "The public security department has already held a meeting and is coordinating; however, speaking of security personnel, our enterprise service department has a corresponding project in place. There are many veterans this year, and quite a few of them have come to Shenzhen to look for work, so companies are very competitive; I'll have Xiao Xu connect with you, his name is Xu Wenzhou, and he's actually your junior from Jinghua University of Science and Technology."

Ten minutes later, Lin Ying dialed Xu Wenzhou's number again.

"Senior Lin? Hello, I'm Xu Wenzhou."

Lin Ying smiled and said, "You called me 'senior sister' pretty quickly. Junior Brother Xu, I won't stand on ceremony with you. The number of female workers in the factory is increasing, and I need to improve security in the factory and dormitory areas."

Xu Wenzhou: "There are indeed many veterans retiring this year. They are disciplined, physically fit, and very suitable. However, the areas around Shenzhen have already been mostly filled. We are short of people right now."

"How many more can you help me contact?" Lin Ying asked.

"There aren't many left locally. If you really want to recruit, my friend is in charge of resettlement work in Hunan and Henan. There are quite a few veterans there who are willing to come out; I can ask around for you," Xu Wenzhou suggested.

"Hey, could you please ask around for me? We definitely need people."

"Didn't the senior students even ask about the salary and benefits? These days, veterans are selective about their units; they might not go to places with low pay and poor accommodations."

"I'll have my finance and HR departments determine the compensation; wages will be paid on time, and the dormitories will be clean... Free meals and accommodation are standard features in our factory. I'll go and calculate the job list, and you can help me contact resources in both locations first."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Ying called He Fangqin into the office as well, and Chen Guodong sat down next to her and picked up his notebook.

"I just contacted the China Merchants Group," Lin Ying said, looking at He Fangqin. "They can help us contact veterans in Hunan and Henan to fill the security gap."

He Fangqin: "Veterans are great! At least their discipline is much stronger than that of people recruited randomly from outside. Not everyone is suitable, but their overall background is easier to screen."

Lin Ying asked her, "What were the difficulties you encountered when recruiting security guards?"

He Fangqin looked bitter and resentful: "Boss, it's not that I don't want to hire, it's that I really can't! First, I don't want anyone who's dishonest; the warehouse and the gate are both problematic if something goes wrong. Second, I don't want anyone who likes to drink and cause trouble; how can you manage others if you're the one causing trouble? Third, I don't want anyone who doesn't treat female workers properly or has an improper character! Of the ten people recommended by the recruitment agencies, I'd be lucky if I could use even one."

Lin Ying affirmed, "These three standards cannot be lowered. How many people do you suggest we need this time?"

He Fangqin didn't stand on ceremony at all: "Two hundred first!"

Chen Guodong: "Two hundred?"

"President Chen, don't think it's too much. Our factory's fourth batch of production is starting all at once this year, expanding to 4,000 people is unstoppable."

He Fangqin began to do the math: "The main gate, side gate, and logistics gate need to be staffed 24/7; the four dormitory buildings require constant night patrols; there's also the security for valuable parts in the warehouse; plus the escort route for female workers leaving get off work, the shift ending at 11 PM must be patrolled; two hundred people really isn't too many!"

"Two hundred people, that's reasonable." Lin Ying made the decision. "You don't need to check the surrounding area for salaries, I'll decide."

He Fangqin became alert: "Boss, please go easy on me!"

Lin Ying: "Security guards are also divided into levels; the probationary period is three months, with room and board provided, and meal allowances and night shift subsidies are paid separately. After becoming a regular security guard, the monthly salary is 600 yuan for a regular security guard, 800 yuan for a team leader, and 1,000 yuan for a team captain. The full attendance bonus is still paid."

He Fangqin: "Boss, this wage is much higher than that of the surrounding factories!"

"I know that what we need is a security team that can truly protect the safety of our employees, not just doormen who are just going through the motions; they are veterans, physically fit, and highly disciplined. They have protected tens of millions of dollars worth of equipment and thousands of workers. They are worth the money."

Chen Guodong also expressed his opinion: "In addition, I suggest that the factory establish a formal safety center; in case of emergencies, the team leaders of the safety center can directly contact the higher-ups and me."

"Okay, in the initial training, we'll have experienced security guards like Lao Liang mentor the new recruits to ensure a smooth transition." Lin Ying looked at He Fangqin. "One more thing: there must be dedicated female security guards on duty in the female workers' dormitories; male security guards cannot freely enter or leave the female dormitory area. This is written into the regulations, and no one is allowed to violate it."

After the meeting, Chen Guodong and He Fangqin hurriedly left with a pile of tasks to carry out.

He Fangqin turned back: "Boss, should I send out a notice about the female employee?"

"Send it." Lin Ying nodded. "Don't be too harsh in your tone, so as not to make people panic; just remind everyone to walk to and from get off work in groups, and to find security immediately if they are harassed by strangers; once our own security team is established, things will be fine."